Last FO's of 2006

I have finished 2 projects just under the 2006 wire.

Hayden from PoorMissFinch.com
Yarn: Various scraps from Stash
Needles: Denise Size 9

Funky Socks (my own pattern)
Yarn: KnitPicks Bare dyed with Kool-aid and Easter Egg Dye
Needles: Size 1 Addis

Notice the new sock blockers? Love them! My goal for posting FO's in 2007 is to have the start and finish dates. Like many resolutions, this may only last a month but I will give it a try.

Roll Call for the weekend

I am really excited about both the projects I started this week. Needless to say, the other 2 I had going have been ignored for now.

Here is the throw from the kit Hubby got me for my Birthday. Perfect for our new couch and living room colors. Only downfall is the Suri Dream. I cursed this yarn last time I knit with it but luckily here it is only in chucks of 4 rows.

I am trying my own pattern for these socks with a little help from my stitchionary. I wasn't sure about the colors when I bought the yarn but I really like them now.

Lastly, here is the sock yarn I bought the other day. Just when I start making a dent in the stash, I buy another 2 skeins. In my defense, I thought I was getting 20% off for my b-day month but it turns out it is good the month after your b-day. Don't ask me why but I see more yarn in my future in about 2 weeks.

What am I thinking?

I started 2 new projects last night to add to the 2 UFO I have going now.

First new project, another pair of socks. I am using some KnitPicks yarn I had from last year's big clearance and I am going to use a stitch from the book I got for Christmas.

My other new project is the Mix and Mingle blanket that was a B-day gift from Hubby. It has a couple balss of about 8 different Knitpicks yarns. 1 row in but I think I am going to love it!

I promise to get my camera out sometime. Xmas tonight at the in-laws with the Freddy Kruger dog- I can't wait...

A little shopping

I am taking a Fair Isle Class in Jan at the Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat. My class supply list is short- just a couple of 16" circs but it required a trip to my LYS. I may have picked up more sock yarn while I was there too. Lorna's Laces in Valentine. I have bought LL before but mostly for swaps so this was a treat for me.

I am in such a knitting mood but have to do some shopping tonight for my sister-in-law's B-day.

Forgot to mention her dog attacked me on Christmas and I left the in-laws with a 8" scrap down the middle of my boobs. Lovely! It looked like something out of Nightmare on Elm Street.

Santa Baby

Hope everyone had a great holiday! Santa/the birthday fairy were very good to me this year. I got some sock blockers, the Vogue Stitchionary, One Skein Wonders and the Mix and Mingle throw kit from Knitpicks. Besides all the great knitting stuff I have gift cards to Old Navy/Gap (Yeah!), a radio port for my iPod and lots of other wonderful things.

In knitting news- I have finished my Funky Striped socks (no pics yet since they are in the bedroom with my still sleeping husband). Le Slouch was finished but quickly frogged since I could not pull off the look. Hayden is about half way there and the lace scarf has been ignored for the past 2 weeks. I do have a big urge to knit a sweater. I have enough yarn for one in DK weight but need to find the perfect one. Last year, I knit 3 sweaters and I wear 2 of them all the time. The year before, I knit 3 sweaters that I never wear. I hope this isn't an every other year thing.

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas!!

Year's worth of FO

Strange Little Mama has taken a look at her favorite FO of the year and asked for our own.

My grand total so far for the year is:

10 pairs of socks (!)

6 Scarves

2 Christmas Stockings

3 Misc. Items

3 Sweaters

4 Bags

1 Hat

My favorite item by far this year is my Sunrise Circle Jacket. It was fun to make and I wear all the time.

I may finished an item or 2 by the end of the year but I still amazed at how much I knit this year. I wonder how many individual stitches that is?

Here I come Joey!

I entered a contest 2 weeks ago and I totally forgot about it. Today I got a phone call and I won 2 tickets to Dancing with the Stars tour and a $250 gift certificate to IKEA!! I would never buy the tix but I am so there and the $250 is already spent in my head.

My fun in the dark...

I have caught up with almost everything and am ready to tell my in the dark tale.

Thursday- 1:30am power turns off. Wind keeps us up most of the night.

Friday- I had a class scheduled at a local hotel but could not reach them because their phone was dead and/or they had no power. Class cancelled. Step-son's school cancelled. We are up at 6am, sitting in the dark and he is already bored. His mom calls to see when she can pick him up since it is her weekend. She comes at 8am. I decided to wait until it is light and start wrapping Christmas presents. Whn that is done head to the nearest mall. After driving 5 miles in and hour, I realize that it is closed but Target is open -with no light and only the registers running. People are literally climbing shelves to get cans of tuna. I debate getting a new lego set to do in the dark that night but don't. Come home, eat some soup and knit for a bit on these (still not finished):

Hubby comes home and tells me I should have bought legos or something to do. I introduce him to my new best friend- a 20yo radio/flashlight. We end up drinking a bottle of wine and rum punch, listening to people call in with their wind horror stories and pass out on the couch at 9PM.

Saturday- Luckily we have a Xmas party to go to where they have power. We get up at 7am and head to Costco for gas since lines were rumored to be miles long. Not here. 10 minutes tops. We hit another Target and do some Xmas shoppping. Come home, warm up in the shower and change for the party at 3pm. We start the hour and a half drive at noon, stopping at a few places along the way. I knit this in the car.

Party is over at 8 and we head home to the cold bed.

Sunday- Hubby works. I wake up at 6am with my best friend on, brings step-son's frog tank downstairs with me and set it next to the fire to keep warm. At 9am, I take a shower and debate about going to a movie. Most areas around us have power now and I am not sitting in a cold, dark house all day. I must have tapped into my testosterone because I end up at a bar at 11am, drinking beer and watching football for 2 hours. I buy a puzzle to keep myself busy until hubby comes home. 3:30 - 15 minutes after he gets home, the heat clicks on!!! Alleujah! Here is how much of the puzzle I did ( it is back in the box ready for another day):

Company Xmas party is at 6pm but need to get there at 5. We clean out the fridge and boogie out but come home to a warm, although foodless, house.

I have been tagged

I promise some pictures of what I did over 3 days with no lights but until then, here is a Meme LadyLungDoc tagged me with.

THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.’ People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog.”Six weird things about me:

1. I have sworn off any food that I think has made me sick in the past including: Root Beer, Strawberry waffles, dairy and caffiene.

2. My favorite baseball player is Dale Murphy. I have an autographed baseball card and my softball mitt is a 20year old Dale Murphy style that I refused to get rid off.

3. My biggest fear is being trapped in my car underwater. Very unlikely to happen, I know but I think about it whenever I drive across one of our floating bridges.

4. I hate being the center of attention so much so that I go out of my way to not tell people when my birthday or other big event is coming up.

5. I can play the William Tell Overture on my cheeks-the ones on my face.

6. I worked as a barista at Starbucks for just over a year and whenever I got there, I have an urge to get behind the counter and make a drink for old time’s sake.

I'm tagging- Rebecca, Sarah, Scout, Zonda, Yarn4Kalei and The Curly Knitter

I Love Electricity!

Sorry about going so long without a post. We were without power from Thursday until Sunday at 3PM. I never realized how much I love elecetricity. We have a gas fireplace and water heater but just dumped a whole refridgerator and freezer full of food. Yuck! People here are still without power and heat, including my mom- who is such a stubborn Lebanese woman that she won't drive 45 minutes to stay with us. Please send your best wishes and good vibes to everyone else up here who is still trying to survive our freezing temps without heat or warm food.

$500 Karma lesson

Last night, I got a little laugh when Hubby's ex's car broke down for the second time in a month. Well, that little laugh came back to haunt me this morning.

I am driving to work, taking a back road and am thinking to myself that either this road is really bumpy or I have a flat. I turned a corner and it got 10x worse. Turns out my tire was completely flat. Not only that all my tires are bald. So I just shelled out $500 for a new set. Love those unexpected expenses right around the holidays. Karma kicking me in the ass.

Silver linings about all this: My flat tire happened right in front of a full service gas station. They did a temp fix so I was able to go home, get my knitting and head to a tire store where I got an hour and a half of knitting in!

Thanks Wendy!

I RARELY look to Britney for fashion inspiration (i wear my undies) but I really like this hat. Oversized beret- great for bad hair days, which seems to be the norm lately. I was all set to try my hand at knitting this without a pattern when from out of the blue I see this from Knit and Tonic.

Serendipity! I am going to search the stash tonight and get started on this hat. Thanks Wendy for the classy take on Brit's hat.

Guilty Pleasure Wednesday

Viva Las Vegas

There is something addictive about a Elvis/Ann-Margret combo. Hip shaking, not-too-great singing, cheesy pick-up lines. I love it! This is the first Elvis movie I actually sat all the way through and it also started me on a high-school semi-obsession with anything Ann-Margret. (Yes, I saw her on tour in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas) I will still get an urge every-so-often to pop VLV in the DVD player and sing along.

Lace it up

I have to say this Bamboo scarf is really growing on me. I am not a lacy/frilly person but I can actually see myself wearing this. The pattern is basic but not boring and a perfect alternative to the stockinette socks I have been working on. The yarn is a little rough though. Maybe a quick wash or soak will help that.

Gift Wrapping yesterday was a bomb. No one showed up. I keep telling myself that it was too early to have it and that next week will pick up but deep down I am doubting that. It was all my idea so I will have to stand up for it somehow. I thought providing gift wrapping to guys who would rather be gambling was a good idea. Most guys hate wrapping anyway and would gladly let someone else do it while they get a couple hand of poker or blackjack in. I will give you an update on the other times next week.

wish me luck

I am off to the first of 7 3-hour days gift wrapping. I have no idea what to expect or how many people will actually bring their gifts in. It is only the 12th, I am sure most guys (our biggest demo) haven't even shopped yet.

Why oh Why?

I may have asked this question before when the 2 remakes of the Posieden Adventure came out- one with Kurt Russel and one with Steve Guttenburg. Why remake perfect fine movies/TV shows? I asked myself that question again last night watching the live-action "Year Without a Santa Claus". Harvey Firstein, Delta Burke, John Goodman, Chris Kattan, Carson from Queer Eye? Yes, that was the cast and what was a cute 1 hour tv specail was stretched into a modern day, 2 hour tv movie. At least I had no problems looking away to knit on my Bamboo scarf.

New Additions

Yes, I made a couple more Mini-sweaters this weekend and even managed to work on the socks too! These sweaters are so quick and I actually have the pattern memorized now so that make them even faster to do. The socks are going and I feel like I have more momentum now that I have started on the foot.

I felt somewhat productiveon Saturday- wrapping half my gifts, making cookies, getting the tree up- but that kind of feel by the wayside when I attempted to make Chex Mix. I tried making one HUGE batch and must have undercooked them. Not only that, they were pretty much flavorless. I added more spices and put the batch back into the oven. I think the whole process took about 4 hours to do. Two steps forward, one step back.

I volunteered my gift wrapping services at work too and offered to go to each casino twice for 3 hours and gift wrap customers gifts while they play. It all starts tomorrow and ends on the 23rd with only 2 days off. Me and my big mouth!

New blogger version

I have semi-reluctantly switched to blogger beta. Seems everything I upgrade something odd happens but so far so good. Did I just curse myself?

Yep, I am obsessed

Here is the result of last night's knitting. I looked around the house for the pipe cleaners I have seen a million times when I don't need them but no such luck this time. I will probably be heading to the dollar store today to get some. These guys need hangers. Good news on the sock front, I have started the heel flap! With more shopping, gift wrapping, tree trimming, treat making and am not sure how much time I will have this weekend to work on them but I feel much better now after starting the next step.

WTF!

Scene: Me in car exiting parking lot. Another car turns into the parking lot passing me.

Man in car: Hey! (unrolling window)

Me: (confused look on face, unrolling window) Yes?

Man: Want some good news?

Me: (still confused and a bit scared) Sure?

Man: At least we don't have to mow our lawns anymore. (Rolls window up)

Me rolling window up and getting my ass away from that man.

End Scene

Newest Obsession?

First it was socks. Then washcloths. Now, my latest obsession may be the miniture sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I knit one last night and they are so cute although not very useful. I may make a few more and hand them out as Christmas gifts to co-workers. I have been trying to find a way to use up my sock yarn scraps and this is perfect. Maybe next year I will plan ahead a little more and make them for family and friends too.

I Love Christmas Music but...

I cannot get away from Il Divo! There are on PBS at least twice a week and I hear them on the radio every day. Hubby even sent me a sound bite of one of their songs on my phone, knowing how much they annoy me. Make it stop!!

Lacking the mojo

I cannot find my sock knitting mojo. I have had the same pair on the needles for what seems like forever (really 3 weeks) but I haven't even knit half way down the cuff. I only have 2 things going now so I am forcing myself to get knitting on them but I feel like a 12 yo who was just told to clean his room. Mayeb the more I knit, the more mojo I will get back.

Guilty Pleasure Wednesday

Christmas Music


I love Christmas Music! The day after Thanksgiving I start listening and don't stop until Christmas day. Currently, my iPod has over 180 Christmas songs on it ranging from Nat King Cole to Brian Setzer Orchestra to U2. My absolute favorite is John Denver and the Muppets. I grew up on that record, then tape and now CD. This year's best addition is Mr. Heatmiser by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Good Karma

My Good Karma hat, as I have called it, is finished. I was told this boy has a big head. Thank god I live in a house full of them. I just need to get someone to try it one and then I will be off to call this great couple and tell them it is done.

Last night at Purly Girls, I busted out the Bamboo scarf. Once I got going, it was really a mindless knit.

Maybe you can solve a family dispute... Step-son was in the car and saw a cab with Cuddy written on the top. "Cuddy Cabby! That rhymes." He said. Hubby agreed but I had to pipe up and say that it was not a rhyme but an alliteration. We got into a 2 on1 argument in the car which lead to a "Let's just leave it alone" from hubby. It was never really settled and no one was giving in. can you help me solve this one? Who was right?

Holiday Meme

NAME: Lynn

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Neither really. I know- Bah Humbug
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrap, of course! I love it.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored on both with some blinking on the tree
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No really. I don't need to encourage my husband.
5. When do you put your decorations up? After Thanksgiving although our tree isn't up yet.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Rum Punch. Is that a dish?
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Having Santa show up to our house, sometimes with Mrs. Claus
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? When I figured out that said Santa looked similar to my parent's friend. During a car trip that summer, I wrote my mom a note asking her, "Is Bob was really Santa?" and passed it to the front seat. (I didn't want to ask infront of my younger brothers) She wrote back "Maybe" but I knew.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? One small gift on Christmas Eve. The rest in the morning
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Ornaments from my childhood
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love looking at it- Hate driving in it
12. Can you ice skate? Nope
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My first bike
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family and charity
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Coconut-Cherry-Chocolate Chip Cookies
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas in the morning, my birthday at night
17. What tops your tree? An angel, just like me! Ya, right
18. Which do you prefer Giving or Receiving? Giving- I hate being the center of attention even if just getting a gift
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Anything by John Denver and the Muppets
20. Candy Canes... are good once a year but only the miniture kind.

Om Yoga Mat Bag

My bag was ready for my Yoga class today but I was not and decided to skip it this week. When I do go, I will be much happier carrying my mat in this:

Om Yoga Mat Bag from Stitch N Bitch Nation
Yarn: Sugar n' Cream
Needles: Denise size 8

Found my Inspiration

Yesterday was one of the few days I have to myself before Christmas so I headed to a local craft bazaar to check it out. Last year and the year before I sold some of the felted bags at craft fairs but gave it up this year. Walking down the aisles, I saw an older couple who last year had a booth next too mine. They sell amazing wooden bowls. The lady asked me if I knit hats and how much I would charge to knit one for her grandson who is having Chemo. He wanted a white washabel stocking cap. I couldn't charge her for something like that so I offered to knit it as a gift to her and her husband. Inspiration! I headed to Joann's and found some soft washable white yarn and am ready to kick this baby into full gear!

On a completely different train of though, Friday night we went to a local radio station's Holiday Hangover Pimp and Ho Ball. I got free tickets from our radio buyer we use at work. It has been a while since we went out to something like that. Dancing girls, Mind-Way-Down-In-the-Gutter humor and 5 bands. We were home relatively early but as hubby put it, "It has been a while since I have smelled that much pot in one room." So much for our state smoking ban.

To tide me over

My MIL bought me a skein of bamboo yarn and scarf pattern about 6 months ago. She recently showed me the scarf she was knitting using the same yarn. I put the yarn and pattern in my knitting bag and it has sat there for weeks. Last night, I finally started it. I may get my Clapotis fix with this. It is a simple YO pattern but I like the result. This should tide me over until I find the next great pattern.

PS- I got my Partylite stuff yesterday and now have enough candles to last me for years. Why did I volunteer to host a party? Oh, yeah- wine!